Colostomy garment



June 13, 1967 c. B YOUNG COLOSTOMY GARMENT Filed June 9, 1964 FIG.2

INVENTOR *k r M ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,324,856 COLOSTOMYGARMENT Ciara B. Young, P.0. Box 653, Hobe Sound, Fla. 33455 Fiied June9, 1964, Ser. No. 373,712 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-283) This invention relatesto undergarments and especially to a colostomy garment.

A colostomy results in the creation of an opening in the abdominal Wall,called a stoma, into which the intestine is secured and through whichfecal matter is discharged. At periods when experience indicates thatdischarge is not to be expected, it is customary to cover the stoma witha pad or dressing of absorbent material, and means must be provided tokeep such material in position.

It is important that such means should be comfortable to the user bothduring daytime andnighttime. Also, it is desirable that such meansshould be inconspicuous and resemble a conventional undergarment so thatthe person wearing the garment can conceal the fact of the colostomy asmuch a sposible and prevent sufiering of mental depression or anxietywhich might occur if appearance is considered unnatural. A furtherelement of importance is that the means to hold the absorbent materialin position must cover the entire abdomen from the navel to the pelvis,because the stoma may be located in almost any part of such region. Itis also important that the holding means should remain in firm positionsecuring the absorbent pad upon the stoma, even when a portion of thegarment is displaced to permit urination.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a colostomygarment in the form of pants to effect the advantages and features aboveindicated.

In construction, the garment of this invention includes a shaped panelhaving front and rear sections and side panels one of which extendsforwardly across the abdomen and releasably fastens to the other. Thefront section of the shaped panel then releasably fastens to the outsideof that extended side panel, and a moisture-proof lining or covering isreleasably fastened to the inside abdominal area of that extended panel.

Further details of an embodiment of the invention, along with otherobjects and advantages, will become apparent upon reading the appendedclaims and the following detailed description of an embodiment of theinvention, in conjunction with the drawing, in which,

FIGURE 1 illustrates the garment when fully opened fiat, viewed from theinterior,

FIGURE 2 illustrates a perspective view of a garment assembled as inwearing, and

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of a garment positioned on a wearer.

In FIGURE 1 the side bands or panels 1 and 2 are different lengths, sidepanel 2 being shorter, while side panel 1 is of sufiicient length toextend forwardly and across the abdomen of the wearer. Panel 2 includesan elastic strip 3, while panel 1 includes an elastic strip 4. Securedto the outer edge of elastic strip 3, set in a fabric strip, are fiveelements 5a of snap fasteners 5 or the like, which have mating elements5b set along the outer edge of the fabric Which makes up the remainderof panel 1. Fasteners 5 may be of the snap fastening type, for example.

As is apparent, the lower edges of the side panels 1 and 2, when inposition upon the wearer, are below the widest part of the hip bones andabove the joints of the hip and thigh bones, while the upper edges ofthe panels are above the wearers navel, in the area of the waistline.

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Secured to the inner ends of side panels 1 and 2 is a shaped fabricpanel 6, which has a rear section 6a and a front section 6b. Asillustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the rear section 6a has a widthsufficient to cover the buttocks of the wearer, with its lower portiondiminishing in width to the crotch area 60. The front section 6b extendsfrom the crotch area in increasing width toward its outer (upper) end,which has a width and height sufficient to cover the abdomen when it isfolded upwardly as indicated in FIGURES 2 and 3.

Fabric fasteners 7a on the inside of the upper end of front section 6bcooperate with fabric fasteners 7b on the outside of panels 1 and 2.Such fabric fasteners are preferably of the adhesive type which fastenby pressure and release when pulled apart, for example, of a typesimilar to that in the Dexter Patent, 2,931,747, and which may be openedmanually by slight stripping force. The front section 6b is thereforereleasable and may be folded down and out of the way, without needing toopen fasteners 5 and remove the garment from the wearer.

Preferably, the lower edges of both the front and rear sections 6a and6b are gathered or contracted as indicated by the marks 8, so that theywill lie closely against the body of the wearer, to provide a temporaryretention of any unexpected discharge. Additionally, the upper edge ofthe rear section 6a is also shortened by means of darts or gatherings 9,to aid in making a more closely fitting garment.

Secured to the inner side of panel 1 is a moisture-proof lining 10,which is coextensive with the abdomen and prevents any moisture from thepad or dressing of absorbent material which covers the stoma fromsoiling other garments of the wearer. This lining or cover 10 isreleasably fastened to the inside portion of panel 1 by any type offabric fasteners 11 which may be similar to fasteners 7 above described.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the objects andadvantages of this invention have been provided for in the describedembodiment. Besides carrying for the physical necessities connected witha colostomy, it is apparent the garment presents a conventional andpleasing appearance. When worn by a person having a colostomy, thegarment relieves the person of embarrassment and anxiety generallyassociated with the use of prior colostomy belts and girdles.

Variations of the garment are contemplated, and it is to be understoodthat the foregoing description is of an exemplary embodiment,limitations to which is not intended, the invention being defined by theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A colostomy garment in the form of pants comprising:

a shaped panel having a rear section with a width sufficient to coverthe buttocks of a wearer and a height extending from about the waistlinedownwardly in diminishing width to the crotch and a front sectionconnectedly extending therefrom upwardly at least partially inincreasing width toward said waistline,

a first side panel extending laterally from one edge of said rearsection,

a second side panel extending laterally from the other edge of said rearsection and of at least abdomen height and of width sufficient to extendforwardly around said abdomen to the other side thereof to meet saidfirst side panel,

means for releasably securing the outer ends of said side panelstogether,

means for releasably securing the said front section of J said shapedpanel to the outside abdominal area of said second panel, so that thefront section can be Opened all the way to the area of the crotchwithout disturbing the securement of the side panels, and

a moisture proof lining releasably secured to, and substantiallycoextensive with, only the inside abdominal area of said second panel.

2. A garment as in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of at least one ofsaid side panels is of elastic material.

3. A garment as in claim 1, wherein the upper end of said rear sectionof the shaped panel and the lower edge thereof and of the said frontsection are gathered to cause same to hug the body of the wearer.

4. A garment as in claim 1 wherein said second side 1,163,793 12/1915Taylor 128-287 2,493,113 1/1950 Dance 128-287 2,611,364 9/1952 Mann128--283 2,649,858 8/1953 LeBolt 128-284 2,745,404 5/1956 W00d-Minor128283 2,778,362 1/1957 PollOck et a1. 128283 RICHARD A. GAUDET, PrimaryExaminer.

panel includes a strip of elastic material adjacent the said 15 L. W.TRAPP, Assistant Examiner.

1. A COLOSTOMY GARMENT IN THE FORM OF PANTS COMPRISING: A SHAPED PANELHAVING A REAR SECTION WITH A WIDTH SUFFICIENT TO COVER THE BUTTOCKS OF AWEARER AND A HEIGHT EXTENDING FROM ABOUT THE WAISTLINE DOWNWARDLY INDIMINISHING WIDTH TO THE CROTCH AND A FRONT SECTION CONNECTEDLYEXTENDING THEREFROM UPWARDLY AT LEAST PARTIALLY IN INCREASING WIDTHTOWARD SAID WAISTLINE, A FIRST PANEL EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM ONE EDGEOF SAID REAR SECTION, A SECOND SIDE PANEL EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM THEOTHER EDGE OF SAID REAR SECTION OF AT LEAST OBDOMEN HEIGHT AND OF WIDTHSUFFICIENT TO EXTEND FORWARDLY